The world champion, Lewis Hamilton, finds his best form of the year as he cruises to the number one position in a revamped car

In a week of controversy which has swept all before it like a juggernaut of the variety that used to sail into this strategic hub of the British Empire, Lewis Hamilton provided the perfect tonic.

The world champion not only gave as succinct an appraisal of the Renault race-fixing scandal as anyone has managed thus far, he also went out and acted on his words. It is what makes him the one true star left in the paddock.

"We all want to put on a great show," Hamilton said, just before scorching to pole position for tonight's Singapore Grand Prix, "but unfortunately in every walk of life there are always one or two individuals that ruin it for everyone. It happens at school, it happens in the office, it happens in every walk of life.

"What we have to do is just try to rise above it." Hamilton certainly did that with a blistering qualifying session in which he looked far and away the quickest car out on track, despite having changed the chassis of his car in order to cure a wiring problem from Friday.

"Fantastic. I'm very happy and pleased for the team," said Hamilton. "Throughout the weekend we came up with updates, but so did everyone else and didn't know where we would be.

"Friday practice was not spectacular for me, but I came here today with a positive approach and a big thanks to the guys. They worked until 10 this morning rebuilding the car.

"We had some problems so had to change the chassis. They stayed up in the garage today in this humidity. They did a great job and I'm pleased to do this for them."

With his KERS energy-boost technology almost guaranteeing he will stay out in front of Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel and Williams' Nico Rosberg from the start of tonight's illuminated race, Hamilton will be confident of adding to his solitary win this season, which he managed at Budapest's Hungaroring.

And the reigning world champion revealed he could have got even more out of the car, saying: "The out lap wasn't that bad, actually. I had a 10-second window where I didn't have to push that much. I reckon we had another couple of tenths of a second in it for sure."

Red Bull's hopes of clawing their way back into the championship race were given a shot in the arm when Vettel secured second and Mark Webber fourth on the grid.

Vettel, who lies 26 points behind Button with four races left to go this season, said on Thursday that he would not give up until he was mathematically counted out. And with the pressure off, he appeared to enjoy himself.

"I like this circuit," said the German in response to claims from Hamilton that the track was unsafe. "It's bumpy but you have to use every bit of it."

Meanwhile, Felipe Massa is understood to be hopeful of making a comeback for the season's final race in Abu Dhabi.

The Brazilian, who spent 48 hours in an induced coma in July after being hit by a 1kg metal spring from the car of Rubens Barrichello during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, is known to be desperate to make a return to racing as soon as possible.